Of
course I had to go see the famous Buddha image Phra Buddha Chinnarat in Wat Phra
Si Rattana Mahathat, but this was probably the busiest temple I have ever
visited. Part of the problem was that I picked the Phra Buddha Chinnarat Fair
week in February 2003. The important temple in Phitsanulok was build in 1357. Besides
the main Buddha image there is many other things to see at the temple, like Phra
Attharot, the 8 meter tall standing Buddha Statue, the
pearl inlay wooded doors of the Vihara and the large gold plated Prang built in
1482, containing relics. Phra Buddha Chinnarat (the victorious king) is the
masterpiece of late Sukhothai period art. In May 2004 on my second visit to this
temple the main Buddha image had been stripped of the old gold layers and it appeared
in black. In December 2004 we went back for the third time. Work had just been
finished and the image appeared yet again in a beautiful layer of gold and a big
festival was held to celebrate this accomplishment.